Everything You Need to Know About This Week in Food

Want to seem like you know what you’re talking about while discussing current events at the dinner table this week? Read through our essential guide to the week’s earth-shattering foodnews. Click through the gallery to find out the latest from the #cronut saga, how a chain restaurant got exposed for employing racists, and which knighted actor shocked the world by tweeting about his first pizza slice at the ripe age of 72.

Want to seem like you know what you're talking about while discussing current events at the dinner table this week? Read through our essential guide to the week's earth-shattering foodnews. Click through the gallery to find out the latest from the #cronut saga, how a chain restaurant got exposed for employing racists, and which knighted actor shocked the world by tweeting about his first pizza slice at the ripe age of 72.

What happened: A Papa John’s delivery guy in Sanford, FL butt-dialed a black customer and proceeded to leave a racist voicemail. Allegedly, he was ticked off because the customer tipped him poorly. The customer posted a YouTube video in which he showed the pizza delivery receipt (he tipped 21%) and played the racist rant, and it went viral (uh-oh). The employee proceeded to get canned and Papa John's Chairman and CEO John Schnatter apologized on Facebook for his employee’s rant.
Who cares: No matter how much you like Papa John's, the next time you order from the pizza chain you're probably going to wonder if your delivery man is secretly a racist a**hole.
Further reading:ABC News, The Huffington Post, The Daily Dot

New Labeling Rules for Meat Tell You Where The Animal Was Born, Raised, and Slaughtered

What happened: Would you like to know a little more about the life of the animal you’re about to eat? New federal labeling rules went into effect on Thursday requiring labels on steaks, ribs, and other cuts of meat to say where the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered. Previously, the U.S. Department of Agriculture only required that the package note the countries of origin, so a package only had to say “Produce of U.S. and Canada.” Tri County Record reports that the president of The National Grocers Association was not happy. He stated, “The costs of this new change will far exceed the benefits intended and will result in no meaningful consumer benefits.” Also, the new labeling removes the allowance for commingling of cuts from different countries, which apparently pissed off Mexico and Canada and made them afraid that meat shipments would be decreased.
Who cares: As companies buy new signs, labels, and labeling machines, the price of your meat could very well increase. If so, you're going to have to be a little more conservative with the steak at those weekly summer barbecues you had planned.
Further reading: Yahoo, NewsDaily

Patrick Stewart Posts a Picture of His "First Pizza"

What happened: Sir Patrick Stewart made headlines on Wednesday when he posted a picture of himself on Twitter along with the comment "My first ever pizza 'slice'. Please note: the authentic NY fold." What the hell, we thought—who has their first pizza slice at age 72!? Turns out it wasn’t the first time he had eaten pizza, just the first time he’d ever experienced a corner store slice. Still, that’s pretty sad.
Who cares: If you love pizza, or Sir P. Stewart, this is sort of blasphemous.
Further reading: NY Daily News

Cronut Mania Continues, Sparks a Black Market for the Pastry and Inspires Rip-offs

What happened: At this point, the only way you don't know about Dominique Ansel's Cronut is if you actually don't exist and are just a Twitter bot—and even then you probably get the general idea from all the tweets about the thing. The mania for the pastry continued apace this week—it has now sparked a $40-a-pop black market, and the bakery trademarked the Cronut to ward off imposters. Speaking of imposters, here's a DIY cronut recipe using Pillsbury crescents.
Who cares: It’s a donut-croissant hybrid and we just gave you a link to a recipe to make them at home. Come on. If you’re more into thinking about the future effects of Cronuts, picture this: By next year all your favorite donut stores might be selling cronuts instead of traditional donuts and then you’ll be craving a glazed old-fashioned and you won’t be able to get one. That’s going to suck.
Further reading:Eater National, Daily Mail

Daniel Boulud, Michael White Expanding Culinary Empires

What happened: French chef and restauranteur Daniel Boulud is making his way back to Vegas with an outpost of his NYC hotspot DBGB Kitchen & Bar. He is also rumored to be setting his sights on D.C. for his next restaurant venture. Michael White, the chef and co-owner of heavy hitter restaurants such as Ai Fiori and Marea, is the latest American chef to open an establishment across the pond. White's Chop Shop will be inspired by a butcher's shop and will be located in central London.
Who cares: The influx of big-name New York restaurants to London is reaching fever pitch, which is an interesting development in itself. Meanwhile, we now have further evidence that Vegas is the official stronghold of expensive NYC restaurants outside of NYC—soon to be rivaled only by London, perhaps.
Further reading:Eater

Umami Burger Arriving in NYC This Summer

What happened:New York's reputable restaurant critic, Adam Platt, penned a lengthy, praise-filled profile of Adam Fleischman, the man behind the West Coast's Umami Burger chain. Platt comes away convinced of of the strengths of Umami Burger, which is making it's NYC debut this summer in Greenwich Village.
Who cares: There is a bi-coastal burger showdown happening in NYC with Shake Shack pitted against newcomer Umami Burger. The latter is coming in armed with plenty of hype, which hopefully translates into another great burger option.
Further reading: First We Feast, NY Mag

The Horrid Owners of Amy's Baking Company Might Get Their Own Reality TV Show

What happened: After appearing on Kitchen Nightmares and screaming at customers, the owners of Amy’s Baking Company went on a Facebook rant abusing online reviewers, then owner Samy Bouzaglo almost got deported. This week, The Huffington Post reports that the owners may be rewarded for their foul behavior with their own reality TV series. America!
Who cares: It all makes for really quality soap-opera style drama. Catch up on a timeline of the whole debacle here.
Further reading: The Huffington Post, Fox News

Starbucks Baristas Fight For Their Tips

What happened: On Tuesday, Starbucks went to New York states highest court in a tip-jar dispute. Starbucks currently allows baristas and shift supervisors—but not assistant managers—to dip into the tip jar. But the managers think that part of the tips should be theirs and have filed a suit against the corporation.
Who cares: “[The court decision] could have broad consequences for the state's hospitality workers and, ultimately, employees at the coffee chain's thousands of U.S. retail stores," notes The Oregonian. This could mean a large pay increase for managers, and potentially legions of pissed-off baristas.
Further reading:CNN Money

Chicago Tribune Awards Four Stars to Next, For the Bazillionth Time

What happened:Chicago Tribune dining critic Phil Vettel reviewed the new vegan menu at superstar chef Grant Achatz's Next, loved it, and gave it four stars. The thing is, Vettel has reviewed every single seasonal menu at Next since its opening, every three months on the dot, giving each of them four stars.
Who cares: Vettel is spending quite a bit of the Tribune’s money reviewing the same high profile restaurant over and over when he could be reviewing new restaurants, or restaurants that are extraordinary and actually need the press. As the role of the critic becomes more and more nebulous in the Yelpian age, Vettel is perhaps not making the most convincing case for why professional criticism is indispensable.
Further reading:Chicagoist

#GuardianCoffee: Yes, The Guardian's New Coffee Shop Has a Hashtag in its Name

What happened: British national daily newspaper the Guardian opened a coffee shop in Shoreditch, East London this week called #GuardianCoffee (hashtag and all). Eater reports that, according to the newspaper, “The decision to open a coffee shop was as much about providing journalists with a space to work as it was about providing a place for people to buy coffee. The shop will also be hosting interviews and events.”
Who cares: If you’re a journalist who drinks coffee and is fond of hashtags, rejoice. Also, are bars and cafes opened by publishing companies becoming a thing? Conde Nast is already deep in the game.
Further reading:Eater National

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